The Mission Foundation Letter, July 30, 2010

Dear friends,

Not very often have I shared family news. But I must tell you that for the past ten days, our house has been full of those great sounds that can only be made by children. We have told Elizabeth (10), Mary Page (8), and Myles (5 ½) that we would love to have them stay with us for the rest of the summer. However, this Sunday they will be headed back to North Louisiana with their momma and daddy. Although the sounds will be gone until their next visit, the memories we’ve made will never leave us.

This month I have had the privilege of preaching at two churches that are at very different points in their history. On July 11th, I was at Plains Presbyterian Church (Zachary, LA), which was founded in 1832, and today is a very thriving church – the largest PCA church in Louisiana. As some of you may remember, I was privileged to serve as their regular pulpit supply minister back in 1995. Those are days that Bec and I greatly treasure. Then on July 25th I preached at All Saints Anglican Church, which is a newly planted church here in Baton Rouge that was worshiping in the living room of a home, although they are anticipating that this Sunday their new location will be ready for occupancy. I am grateful to Pastor Bob Wojohn of The Plains Church and Pastor Mark Turner of All Saints for inviting me to preach.

During the past couple of weeks at The Gathering of Men, we have been studying the spiritual progress of Peter, “From Fearful to Fearless.” Like Peter when we are prayerless we will become fearful, and that fear will manifest itself in many different ways – anger, worry, regret, depression, and other destructive emotions. In Peter’s case, Jesus called him to pray with Him three times in the Garden of Gethesemane on the night of His betrayal. Each time Peter failed to pray and instead went to sleep. Luke 22:45 says that he and the other disciples were “sleeping from sorrow.” Why? Because Jesus had told them that He was about to be betrayed into the hands of His enemies. So they wept themselves to sleep instead of praying, as Jesus had told them to do. (Have you ever prayerlessly lain in sorrow or worry or confusion until you finally fell asleep?) Then when the time of Peter’s testing came, he was filled with fear, and three times he denied even knowing Jesus at all. But our Lord Jesus is a loving, devoted, restoring Savior. In John 21 we read that, after His resurrection, Jesus called Peter aside from the other disciples and asked him three times, “Do you love Me?” I have tried to imagine the strength of emotion behind Peter’s repeated response, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love you.” Three times Jesus re-issued His call on Peter’s life: “Tend My lambs”, “Shepherd My sheep”, “Tend My sheep.” Now watch Peter’s progress from this point forward:

• Peter devotes himself to prayer. (Acts 1:12-14)
• Peter becomes a wise leader, who gives instructions concerning the selection of the replacement apostle. (Acts 1:15-26)
• Peter is filled with the Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4)
• In the midst of mockery, Peter preaches with great power. (Acts 2:13-14)
• In response to Peter's sermon, 3000 are saved – THREE thousand! (Acts 2:41)
• And Peter stands fearlessly before the authorities. (Acts 4:16-20)

Once prayerless and fearful, Peter became prayerful and fearless. In what ways is fear evidenced in your life? Fear is the emotion that is produced by doubt, by a lack of confidence in God. It is the emotion that took Adam and Eve captive in the Garden. The first step in dealing with fear is to admit that we have it – to call it what it is – and confess that we are simply not trusting God. Then if you and I will draw near to our wise, good, and powerful heavenly Father in prayer, we will not fear, and we will therefore not speak or act in ways that are destructive to others or to ourselves.

May the Lord encourage and strengthen you in your praying,

Rod (for Bec and me)